I have a 1979 Ford F-150 Ranger, 351m, 3peed, 4x4. And well it has, Issues.

The dash has light, head lights work, speedometer is a little off.

The problems are:
Turn signals work when they want to, heater is on low (always), fuel gauge is operable when it wants, temp gauge doesn't work, alternator gauge works, Brake light is always on, and the wipers don't work.

So looking at the symptoms only brings me back to, all these are junk, or i have bad grounds.

I have no idea where the grounds are. I know there is a ground strap near the ac XXL box, but it isn't hooked to anything, It has a hood light, that doesn't turn on.

Oh and it had a mouse nest behind the instrument cluster.

The cluster is out, the PO had a Hodge podge radio in it, that has been pulled out.


Any help on where the grounds are would be great.

the paper circuit board doesn't look like it has corrosion on the main connector.

Tyler

 

Start with the main ones. Clean all connections. Battery neg to engine block, engine block to firewall and another from block to frame. All lot of the other grounds are at the items location, such as tailights, headlights etc.

 

i would start by checking around the rat nest for chewed wires.

 

pulled the cluster, kicked the key on, and everything works, weird. i was going to look for bad power to cluster.

so it looks like the cluster?

 

Good advise. Especially now, since you have access.

 

No bad wires, that i can see. Everything seems good, with out the cluster.

Hm. lol

 

You alternator gauge works?? I've never seen one that does any more than move 1/16 of an inch.


Oh, and welcome to FTE!

 

I will try and help by telling you what was wrong with mine. Signals- flasher was gone (easy fix). Heater- switch was melted. Fuel gauge- wire was broken to sender on tank.Temp gauge-wire was off going to sender.